COMMENT: Lock this away: John Terry WILL start at West Brom on Sunday.
It's absolute garbage that Jose Mourinho's decision to hook his Chelsea captain at halftime yesterday is the beginning of the end for the Blues icon. Everything Mourinho does is calculated. This wasn't about Terry's career. It was a clear message to the higher-ups at Chelsea: get a move on and bring me new players.
Mourinho hinted as much in pre-match. It was drowned out by the Carneiro/Fearn controversy, but the Chelsea manager stated he wanted "two more players", "a left-back" and that the club could "spend £50 million" on the right player if he became available. With the emphasis being on the right player.
As Mourinho said, the money is available. The board is willing to shell out. It's now about those at the pointy end of negotiations getting deals over the line.
The arrival of Abdul Rahman Baba, from Augsburg, was announced after defeat at Manchester City. But he's not a gamechanger. The young Ghanaian arrives as a replacement for Filipe Luis, now of Atletico Madrid, and will be understudy to Cesar Azpilicueta this season.
But just as the Baba deal was being confirmed, it was breaking in Madrid that City and Valencia had come to an agreement over Nicolas Otamendi. The irony won't have been lost on the Special One.
City, this season, look a proper footballing team. And they're buying players to win things. As good as Eliaquim Mangala was yesterday, Otamendi is a step up. He instantly improves an already outstanding team.
Mourinho will be happy to have Baba through the Cobham gates. It's one less headache he has to deal with. But the manager's message over the last 72 hours has been clear: this squad is short.
Apparently, according to his Everton manager Roberto Martinez, John Stones is a mental wreck due to Chelsea's very public pursuit. But he didn't look too fussed as he stepped through the win at Southampton on Saturday. Whether Stones can offer Chelsea the instant improvement Mourinho seeks is debatable, but with his versatility he will strengthen the manager's defensive options.
Beyond the back four, midfield and attack are still dilemmas for Mourinho. The latest tribalfootball.com is hearing is that he is prepared to go with his striker options as they stand, hopeful, rather than confident, that Radamel Falcao can find his feet by January.
But Mourinho does want a ball-winning midfielder added before the market window shuts.
Chelsea did make a late pitch to Gianni Imbula before his record move to Porto. Mourinho actually spoke of his surprise at the €20 million his old club coughed up for the Frenchman. And last week, Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini revealed an approach from Chelsea for his young Ghanaian Godfred Donsah.
So Chelsea are active. The registrations of interest are being lodged. But Mourinho is anxious, he doesn't want to reach September with his squad as it is.
Forget Terry. Apparently this past week marks the beginning of the end of Mourinho, himself. The Special One is picking battles with anyone and everyone who comes into focus. From Terry, to Carneiro, right up to Abramovich, Mourinho is at odds with the lot.
The sad reality is there's a section of the media that simply do not like Mourinho. They resent his profile and his success - even though they make a great living from it. The Carneiro/Fearn blow-up was just the opportunity they'd been waiting for. Apparently, for the enlightened, time's up for this stage in Mourinho's Chelsea career. He lasts three years at a club, leaving the place a wreck and burning all relationships along the way. Open up your newspaper, flick on the box or radio, and they'll be there: telling us how he is hated and despised by everyone at Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
But talk to Marco Materazzi about Mourinho and you'll get an entirely different perspective. Indeed, listen to any of that Treble winning Inter Milan squad and they won't have a bad word said against their old coach.
But what about the board? Well, Massimo Moratti, the former president, just as he was selling Inter to Erick Thohir, sounded out Mourinho about returning to lead the club into their new era.
Then there's Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who is in regular touch with Mourinho. Yes, there was a section of senior players who railed against the Chelsea manager in his final months in charge. But there's also a lot more of his squad grateful for having worked with the Portuguese. Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa, Sami Khedira, the list goes on and on. Jose Rodriguez, upon signing for Galatasaray this month, stated Mourinho was the biggest influence in his career.
And this attitude will also be found at Stamford Bridge.
Of course the place is tense. One point from six and a loss in the Community Shield, you'd be crazy to think otherwise. But as Mourinho slipped in amid the droning on about team medics, no-one's stopping him from spending 'Torres money' on the right player.
They're not humming, but the champions - nor Mourinho - aren't about to implode. No matter how much a certain section of the media are barracking for it.
